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Wreaths make easy-going decorations

By Times Staff, Wires
Published December 8, 2007

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Relax and take a casual approach to decorating, Victoria magazine suggests. Attach a wire ribbon bow in an offbeat color, like rich purple, to a wreath, then prop it casually on a desk, a mantel, a shelf. Or lay a wreath flat on a table and place a cake stand in the middle. Pile it with fruit, goodies, or a glass bowl full of ornaments.

Decked-out homes get HGTV treatment

At 9 p.m. Sunday, tour some really over-the-top holiday lighting displays from the comfort of the sofa. What's With That Really Decked-Out Christmas House? on HGTV visits homes across the country and meets the creators, whose displays are no doubt visible from space. While you're at it, mark the calendar for 8:30 p.m. Dec. 16, when HGTV takes its annual tour of the White House in all its holiday splendor.

Decorators goeth before a fall

Here's an accident waiting to happen. In a survey of 1,000 adults taken for the Home Safety Council and Werner Ladder . . .

- 38 percent of adults admit they decorate outside after dark using a ladder;

- 36 percent stand on the top two steps;

- 36 percent string lights while they are plugged in and using an aluminum ladder, which conducts electricity;

- 22 percent drink alcohol when using ladders to decorate for the holidays.

So put down that eggnog and practice some ladder safety. Don't overreach; work with a buddy; make sure the ladder is on solid, level ground; wear non-slip shoes. Use a fiberglass ladder if you're working with electricity or near power lines.

Keep furbabies safe from candles

Watch where you put those candles. Mr. Fido's wagging tail or a prowling Miss Kitty may get in harm's way. Protect the four-legged family members by keeping candles above and beyond them, or use battery-powered candles (which are safer for the kids, too).

LED lights shimmer at the Rock

The big tree in New York City's Rockefeller Plaza is lighted this year with 30,000 LED lights. Officials say they'll save as much energy in a day as an average family uses in a month. The lights are powered by solar panels on the roof of 45 Rockefeller Plaza, the New York Times reports. At season's end the tree will be milled into lumber for Habitat for Humanity. LEDs - light-emitting diodes - use a fraction of the electricity of incandescents, and they burn cool. You can find them at the stores this year to deck your own halls.